Miss Bingley Comes to Know!
by Sach is Life
Summary: Miss Bingley definitely did not like Elizabeth. Let's see how she reacted to the news of Mr. Darcy's engagement to Miss Eliza Bennet, as she so affectionately called her. REGENCY one-shot


**A/N : Miss Bingley definitely did not like Elizabeth. Let's see how she reacted to the news of Mr. Darcy's engagement to Miss Eliza Bennet (as she so affectionately called her.)**

**Disclaimer: However much I wish otherwise, the characters belong to Miss Jane Austen.**

**Miss Bingley Comes to Know**

Jane and Elizabeth were comfortably seated in a carriage heading towards Netherfield. It was not unusual for them to frequent Netherfield to escape their mother's nerves.

Both the sisters' thoughts were occupied in the same direction as they were only yesterday informed that Bingley's sisters would come today. Elizabeth worried Miss Bingley's reception when she should be informed of her engagement to Mr. Darcy.

On reaching Netherfield they were greeted by Mr. Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. Mr. Bingley soon took his place next to Jane and directed Elizabeth towards the billiards room, where she would find her betrothed.

While walking towards the billiards room she heard a familiar voice shouting or laughing - she could hardly tell. "That was a marvelous break Mr. Darcy!"  
>"Yes, Miss Bingley is here", she thought for the first time feeling somewhat bad for her.<br>"Will you not teach me?"  
>Then came a stern reply, "Surely Miss Bingley, Charles can teach you better - for he is a much better teacher"<br>"Well if you say so, but that was a great shot indeed."  
>"I thank you."<p>

Miss Bennet could no longer contain herself and soon knocked on the door before entering. Miss Bingley found it a little intimidating that she should accompany Jane on her visit to Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy abruptly abandoned his shot and bowed to Elizabeth and Elizabeth replied with an equally deep curtsy. Miss Bingley following Darcy's example curtsied to Lizzy and she returned the act of civility.  
>"Pray Miss Eliza, do you find yourself in good health?" asked Caroline.<br>"Yes very well, indeed. I thank you. How do you do? "  
>"Very well, Mr. Darcy was just showing me how to start a game of billiards with a perfect break."<br>"It was hardly perfect." Mr. Darcy said interrupting Miss Bingley's further speech.  
>"Oh! I am sure it must have been for as I recall as you said Miss Bingley 'Mr. Darcy is a man without fault'," answered Elizabeth.<br>Darcy always got enchanted by such witty remarks from his fiancée and after staring at her for a few seconds remarked.  
>"I think Miss Elizabeth, last time we were having a conversation on this topic, I made it perfectly clear that it was not possible for anyone," and later added inquiries of her family's health.<p>

Miss Bingley was almost shock at the over familiarity of such a remark.  
>"They are in excellent health Mr. Darcy."<br>Then Mr. Darcy quietly made his way towards Miss Bennet and gallantly placed a kiss at her right hand.

Now Miss Bingley was positively in a state of shock and blurted a loud,"WHAT?"  
>Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth momentarily turn towards her. Mr. Darcy took the lead and said, "Miss Bingley, may I present to you my dearest, loveliest and if I may be so bold wittiest fiancée- Miss Elizabeth Bennet."<br>Miss Bingley took some time to recover from her shake up and said, "Surely, this must be a joke, Mr. Darcy, you are very clever."  
>Elizabeth expected many things as to how Miss Bingley will respond but this was certainly not one of them. She knew that Miss Bingley thought of Mr. Darcy too highly to think that he could play such a kind of joke on her.<p>

Mr. Darcy certainly could not tolerate such behaviour and said, "Miss Bingley, you know me too well to make a joke on such a serious matter. Miss Elizabeth and I are engaged to be married in the same ceremony as Charles and Miss Bennet."

After a full minute of stunned silence Miss Bingley said, "Well, then I congratulate you." and abruptly took her leave.

Later in the day when everyone assembled in the drawing room for the afternoon tea Miss Bingley showed her displeasure quiet openly. While talking to Mrs. Hurst she spoke in a loud enough tone, "She is a wit indeed, must have caught Mr. Darcy unguarded."  
>Mrs. Hurst replied, in a somewhat concealing yet audible voice, "Indeed sister."<p>

All the others of the party were getting really uncomfortable. Elizabeth was almost red with anger. Jane and Mr. Darcy were trying to silently support her. Seeing her future sister in- law being subjected to this embarrassment, Mr. Bingley could no longer contain himself. He raised his voice as he had never done, at least in front of his beloved Jane and said, "Caroline, if you do not stop talking this second and apologize to Miss Elizabeth for your impertinence then I am afraid I will have to ask you to leave."  
>Caroline had never seen her brother so angry and readily obliged to save herself from further wrath.<p>

Mr. Bingley only added, "I am very sorry dear Lizzy. I did not know my sister would behave in such a preposterous manner."

To which Lizzy, barely containing her anger, replied, "You do not need to apologize to me," and then returning to her lively self added, "I am sure it will soon be forgotten."

From that day on, Miss Bingley always behaved civilly with Elizabeth, as she was so constantly reminded by her sister, of her visiting rights to Pemberley.

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